Knowledge about multiple intelligences and learning styles is valuable for groups and leaders to have because when people, particularly youth, understand how they learn and absorb information best they become empowered. When a person feels lost in trying to understand information because their learning style is not being addressed we lose the gifts of alternative thinkers and creators. Our current system of learning is most directed at people who learn by listening and reading, but the way we do youth ministry can change that! The purpose of this is to understand the learning, working and leadership dynamic when coming together to do youth ministry in a group setting.

The assigned reading is geared toward a traditional classroom environment, but the information within these readings can help us understand how youth (and how we ourselves!) take in information and relate in group settings. Instead of the goal of academic achievement, as discussed in the reading, our goal is to build community and promote healthy group dynamics.

3MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

Linguistic

Logical/Mathematical

Musical

Spatial/Visual

Kinesthetic

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal

Naturalistic

Existential

4ENGAGING MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

Linguistic How can I incorporate words/reading?

Logical/Mathematical How can I include the use of numbers, classification, critical thinking and calculations?

Musical How can I include music, sounds, rhyme, rhythms and dance?

Spatial/Visual How can I include pictures and diagrams, colors, art or graphs?

Kinesthetic How can I include movement, drama or art and craft?

Interpersonal How can I include group work, peer sharing and discussions?

Intrapersonal how can I include private learning/reflection time and choice?

Naturalistic How can I include interaction with nature?

Existential How can I include questioning/examination of lifes big issues?

5LEARNING STYLES

It is valuable for people to be aware of their learning styles, because it gives them confidence and control.

Learning styles are not fixed, but most people have a dominant/preferred style. Most people are able to adopt different styles in different situations.

As you read, there are many theories/models of learning styles. Lets summarize

6HONEY-MUMFORD MODEL

Activists learn by doing thrive on novelty immerse self in wide range of experiences/activities through group work not as interested in planning bored by repetition

Reflectors observers collect information before making decisions big picture slow to make up mind

Theorists adapt and integrate observations into frameworks well-organized minds cannot relax until they get to the bottom of something uncomfortable with subjectivity or ambiguity logical problem-solvers

Pragmatists seek out and make use of new ideas look for practical implications problem solvers

7NEURO-LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING (NLP) MODEL

Visual learn by seeing

Auditory learn by listening

Kinesthetic learn by doing

Reading learn by reading

Reflection Question The reading describes the body language of people with each of these learning styles. Have you observed this before? What is your own style and body language?

8MYERS-BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR (MBTI)

A personality profile test. Each person is somewhere on each spectrum

Extroverts (E) ?? Introverts (I)

Sensors (S) ?? Intuitors (N)

Thinkers (T) ?? Feelers (F)

Judgers (J) ? ? Perceivers (P)

Sample types ENFJ, ISTP

9KOLBS LEARNING STYLE MODEL

Diverger (concrete, reflective)

Assimilator (abstract, reflective)

Converger (abstract, active)

Accommodator (concrete, active)

10FEDER-SILVERMAN MODEL

Each person is somewhere on these five spectrums

Sensing ?? Intuitive

Visual ?? Verbal

Inductive ?? Deductive

Active ?? Reflective

Sequential ?? Global

11APPLYING THIS KNOWLEDGE YOUR PRAXIS SETTING

Thinking about your praxis setting

Can you identify any of the multiple intelligences/learning styles in the group?

How does the intelligence/learning style of an individual impact how they interact with others in the group?

How does their style impact how they relate to the activities/program of the group?

Have people ever left the group because they felt excluded based on their intelligence/learning style? How could the group have better engaged them?

12APPLYING THIS KNOWLEDGESTRUCTURING GROUP TIME

The Multiple Intelligences reading suggests beginning classes/sessions with a central teaching in youth ministry settings this could be a story, an issue/topic, a reading/poem, a video clip, etc. This is followed by a series of activities or a choice of activities addressing the main topic or theme, designed to engage multiple intelligences.

This is how many of the new UUA Tapestry of Faith curricula are structured. A story serves as a jumping off point for the rest of the activities, which are designed to engage multiple intelligences and learning styles. Check out examples at www.uua.org/tapestryoffaith.

Activity A youth group views a news clip about the recent LBGTQ youth suicides. What are some good follow-up activities to explore the issues this raises? What intelligences do these activities engage?

13EFFECTIVELY ENGAGING ALL IN YOUTH MINISTRY SETTINGS

The climate becomes more co-operative as children or youth come to understand and gain more respect for each others strengths. (Multiple Intelligences, p. 39)

Groups can engage people of all intelligences/learning styles by drawing on the members skills and interests, and creating teams/assigning leadership based on these.

Building Multigenerational CommunityIf you apply this knowledge of multiple intelligences and learning styles to youth involvement more broadly, it means that sometimes a youths needs will not be met by a traditional youth group. Sometimes their strengths and styles might be best suited to some other involvement in the community, through which they are ministered to and share their strengths with others.

How does this help you think about how you engage in this course, and/or in your praxis setting?

15

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Readings on Conflict Transformation

Presentation Listening as Leadership

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